Being Green (Environmentally Friendly) in a Renovation
I’ve been talking a lot about green lately here at Dogs Don’t Eat Pizza, but it’s been the color green – here and here. What today’s post is about is being green – that is, environmentally conscious – in a renovation.
This is a topic near and dear to my heart. I am a passionate recycler, even going so far as to go in my neighbor’s trash can and picking out plastic bottles and cardboard boxes and putting them in my recycling bins (I can’t, for the life of me, figure out why my neighbor doesn’t recycle, but that’s another blog post for another day.).
So, as we are about to embark on our kitchen renovation, here are some things I’m thinking about in terms of “going green” on the renovation:
1. Recycle what you can from the old kitchen/room.
We plan to give the cabinets that are still in good shape, the cabinet and drawer hardware that we aren’t re-using, the sink and faucet, and maybe the countertop to Habitat for Humanity. Habitat will come pick them up, and they can re-sell them at their ReStore (which I love). For the appliances, I am planning to research where to recycle these. I know that Georgia Power will pick up an old working refrigerator and recycle it and give you $35 for getting rid of the older appliance. Not a bad deal!
2. Everything old is new again.
Reclaimed wood, old knobs, old doors…all have character and can be used in a new space. You can find those things at salvage yards, resale shops, thrift stores, and Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore, for example. I found some old glass doorknobs at the Habitat ReStore…I just can’t figure out where to use them yet!
3. Make a spot in the kitchen to be green.
One thing I really need in our kitchen is a recycling bin. Right now, we don’t have room for a recycling bin and a trash can, so we keep the trash can under the sink and I just pile up the recyclables in the sink or on the counter until I take them outside to the bins.
It would be so much better (and neater) to have a recycling bin inside, making it easier to be green. I also have a compost pail, and I would like to have a dedicated space for that, too (right now, it’s under the sink, behind the trash can).
4. Use products that are green.
Choose materials that are environmentally-friendly. I use low or no-VOC paint. There are countertops made from recycled glass or recycled paper – I really want a recycled glass countertop. Also, there is plywood not treated with formaldehyde, which is greener.
Those are just a few tips. What steps have you taken in a renovation to be green?
As always, thanks for stopping by.
This is a topic near and dear to my heart. I am a passionate recycler, even going so far as to go in my neighbor’s trash can and picking out plastic bottles and cardboard boxes and putting them in my recycling bins (I can’t, for the life of me, figure out why my neighbor doesn’t recycle, but that’s another blog post for another day.).
So, as we are about to embark on our kitchen renovation, here are some things I’m thinking about in terms of “going green” on the renovation:
1. Recycle what you can from the old kitchen/room.
We plan to give the cabinets that are still in good shape, the cabinet and drawer hardware that we aren’t re-using, the sink and faucet, and maybe the countertop to Habitat for Humanity. Habitat will come pick them up, and they can re-sell them at their ReStore (which I love). For the appliances, I am planning to research where to recycle these. I know that Georgia Power will pick up an old working refrigerator and recycle it and give you $35 for getting rid of the older appliance. Not a bad deal!
2. Everything old is new again.
Reclaimed wood, old knobs, old doors…all have character and can be used in a new space. You can find those things at salvage yards, resale shops, thrift stores, and Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore, for example. I found some old glass doorknobs at the Habitat ReStore…I just can’t figure out where to use them yet!
3. Make a spot in the kitchen to be green.
One thing I really need in our kitchen is a recycling bin. Right now, we don’t have room for a recycling bin and a trash can, so we keep the trash can under the sink and I just pile up the recyclables in the sink or on the counter until I take them outside to the bins.
Pathetic.
It would be so much better (and neater) to have a recycling bin inside, making it easier to be green. I also have a compost pail, and I would like to have a dedicated space for that, too (right now, it’s under the sink, behind the trash can).
4. Use products that are green.
Choose materials that are environmentally-friendly. I use low or no-VOC paint. There are countertops made from recycled glass or recycled paper – I really want a recycled glass countertop. Also, there is plywood not treated with formaldehyde, which is greener.
Those are just a few tips. What steps have you taken in a renovation to be green?
As always, thanks for stopping by.
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